The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-10-28

iay drew near on which he was to die.
sud only his poor old mother came to
he prison gates to weep. or Went fran
lIcally about TO gain speech with those
who had power in their hands and tell
hem that she was sure Of her Peter
and that he was the best son who ever
lived, and to beg them on her Bonded
knees to believe as she did.
Peter Morgan was to be hung, and
rlergymen were with him hourly and
confession was advised as q means OF
stonement and he was warned against
,bstinacy. but all in vain. No confess
zion fell from his lips Instead he said
something which seemed blasphemy to
those who heard II.
IL know the key turned in my hand.
But il wasn't Gods doing. Satan had
3 hand in 1t. for 1t told a lie. never
Jaw the diamonds.
And in this mood the dreadful day
bound him.
Peters old mother came to him in
prison that day. and their parting was
dreadful thing to see, but still he
,aid: IL am innocentw and she was
taken away. and he marched. with
guards about him and his hands bound,
toward the awful spot where he was to
meet his fate. and the clergyman whis-
oered
Confess, the truth, my son, and go
10 Heaven washed from falsehood."
He answered.:
IL have spoken the truth. can say
nothing more.
And 20 they brought him to the gal
lows-the old gallows OF old Gwelt-
town. brown with time. and not too
,taunch or stout. where many thief
and murderer had hung before. And
al the country were there to see-for
then it was considered wholesome
sight for the populace--and reserved
,eats were not sold to few curious
for spicy horrors rs they are to-day
sven in our good city of New York.
Men and women. and even children.
stood up at the gallows and gazed AT
the figure mounting it.
Peter Morgan saw them and grew
no, with shame. To die such death.
before so many. was worse than merely
leaving the world. which had been
bright to him in his youth and strength.
and where his old mother would starve
deserted by him.
Tears came into his eyes-for the
first time he trembled. and the clergy
man, seeing it, eXhorted him once more
20 tell where the diamonds were and
confess his guilt
But Peter Morgan turned from him
and toward the faces lifted up expect
mt of his death struggles. From time
mmemorial last dying speech has
been permitted to those doomed to
execution. And knowing this, he
spoke;
Friends: stand here dying man
and die innocent. God hears me
and his Son. Let it be II warning to all.
The test of the Bible and KEY is a cheat.
It was tried and found me guilty. |
never touched the diamonds. | know no
more of them than the Youngest baby
here. die murdered
Then he gave himself up to the exc
cutioner ami the clergymen-and the
black cap was drawn over his eyes and
a PRAYER was said, the signal given and
the drop fell.
Then occurred what seemed mis-
chance. The gallows of Gwelt-town
was old and much decayed. The vic
tim was heavy man. As he swung
OF something gave way. Instead oil
being properly hanged. Peter Morgan
fell heavily to the ground, stunned and
and bleeding. with bits OF rotten wood,
and ropes. and loosened nails scattered
over him. The fragments OF birds
nest-two young birds. above which
the mother bird screamed and tluttered,
and Miss Blackthwaite 8 diamonds!
At the top of the old gallows. as all
Gwelt-town knew, had been for years
a magpie's nest, and molher-bird had
often picked crumbs from the sill
Of Miss Blackthwaites window. On
that morning. when she lay asleep with
her window open. the bird afflicted.
like all its race with what is delicately
called kleptomania, had helped herself
10 the diamonds. The magpe was the
thief. moi poor Peter Morgan. whom